Tag Archives: students

During the 2017 March break, six groups of Ridley students embarked on life-changing trips around the globe. With many adventures and memorable stories, it was almost too hard to limit the list of amazing experiences to just ten.

1. Bonding with the talented students of the Jacaranda School in Malawi through music lessons and theatre.

2. Putting the finishing touches on the Centre of Hope – a school for special needs children, that Ridley Students helped build in El Progreso, Guatemala.

It starts with a storm, but this wasn’t a regular tempest, as Ridley Theatre presented their own twist on Shakespeare’s final play The Tempest, with three performances held in the Mandeville Theatre.

This version of the play takes place far away from the setting of the original, an unnamed island in the Mediterranean, Ridley’s Tempest takes place in turn-of-the-century Nova Scotia. Enhancing this setting is the use of traditional maritime music and sea shanties. The play opens with a stirring rendition “Barrett’s Privateers” by Stan Rogers.

“It’s been fantastic, the kids are amazing, we’re so fortunate at Ridley to have such talent,” says Mrs. Gillian Fournier, who is volunteering her time as a director, while on maternity leave.

This Canadian connection to the show and Shakespeare, makes it more relative to our history, and the audience, according to Mr. Andrew Hitchcox, one of the shows three directors. Especially relevant are the aspects of the play tackling colonization, the arrival of the shipwrecked survivors to the island, and Prospero’s subjugation of Caliban, the island’s original inhabitant.

This production held no auditions, everyone who wanted to be involved in the play got to be a part of it. For many students it was their first experience in theatre. Only nine of the 19 cast members speak English as their first language. Cast members come from 10 different countries.

“I would never have imagined myself learning Shakespeare let alone performing it and not being terrible. I learned that even though things are new to me, I should always be open and confident in seeing myself succeed in every new challenge I face,” says Obianuju Nwadike ‘17, who plays Prospero, the play’s main antagonist.

The students took a leadership role in the production, including music, lighting. “We give them the skills to be able to do the show,” says Mrs. Anna Blagona, director and Head of English & Drama.

All of the choices and depictions of the characters were up to the student actors. This resulted in some roles being gender-swapped, including the main character of Prospero, played by Obianuju. “I enjoy my character a lot. She switches moods/feelings when conversing with other characters and It’s really exciting to explore multiple dimensions of my character,” says Obianuju.

Ridley’s Troupe 7774 is part of the International Thespian Society (ITS), which was founded in 1929. It is an honorary organization for high school and middle school theatre students located at more than 4,200 affiliated secondary schools across Canada, the United States, and abroad. The mission of ITS is to honour student achievement in the theatre arts.

November 26th marked the competitive start to our robotics season and a triumphant first place finish for our junior girls team. Ridley competed at Woburn Collegiate’s tournament, which is the largest in Ontario, outside of World Championships. In total, 74 teams competed; making for a challenging, yet rewarding kick-off to our VEX Robotics season.

After a long bus ride, things did not start well for us. Our rookie all-girls team (1509B) was left parterless for their first match of their career. In addition, their very first match was against two opponents that were ranked top-20 teams in Ontario. Coincidentally, our senior team (1509E) had a mechanical problem, making it two losses in a row out of the gates. In time, our teams seemed to shake off their bus-lag and started to perform well. After all teams had played six matches each, Ridley placed 9th, 17th, 18th and 19th.

That’s when the fun started.

All Ridley teams were selected to compete in the quarter finals and Team 1509B was selected by a top performer to join their alliance. Team 1509 made it to the semi-finals, guaranteeing them a spot at the all-Ontario championships (along with 1509B) in late February.

In the finals, Team 1509B’s robot destroyed the tournament host team and last year’s Ontario champions, by a score of 60-1. It was one of the most lopsided wins all day; in an epic performance, where the girls’ dominant effort was their best match ever and secured them a first place finish.

We look forward to seeing our students in action on December 10th, when we compete at Governor Simcoe in St. Catharines.

As always, special thanks to my co-coach Mr. McCambley for his tireless help and expertise.

Ridley College earns a rare scholastic distinction

Iris Winston

Ridley College, already one of the best-known independent boarding schools in Canada, now has a prestigious new designation.

Early this year, Ridley became an International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum school. It is the only boarding school in the country to have achieved this distinction and one of just 15 schools across Canada to offer the world-class international programme. Only two other independent boarding schools in North America offer IB continuum programming.

Founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1968, the International Baccalaureate Organization is a non-profit educational foundation that offers “highly respected programmes of international education that develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills needed to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world. Schools must be authorized, by the IB organization, to offer any of the programmes. Schools usually develop the IB continuum over time, adding programmes as the school grows.”

“Ridley has been on a six-year journey with IB,” says Ridley’s headmaster Ed Kidd, who returned to Canada to take the position with Ridley four years ago after 14 years at the Shanghai American School, where he was also involved with and taught the IB programmes.

Developed for students from three to 19 years of age, the IB framework comprises three segments: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), and the Diploma Programme (DP). Holistic in style, they all encourage individual learning styles, open communication and compassion, as well as cognitive development and international thinking.

Ridley has run the PYP and DP programmes for the last five years. It was certified for the MYP programme earlier this year, completing the rare designation as an IB continuum school.

The PYP, designed for students aged three to 12, focuses on encouraging inquiring minds, inside and outside the classroom. Using an inter-disciplinary approach, the PYP focuses on teaching students to see the connections between subject areas.

The MYP, designed for students aged 11 to 16, focuses on intellectual challenge and encouraging students to become creative, critical and reflective thinkers. It aims to foster skills for communication, intercultural understanding and global engagement, crucial for success in the 21st century.

The Diploma Programme is for students ages 16 to 19 and focuses on intellectual breadth and depth. Through all three programmes, students are challenged to excel in intellectual curiosity and development, personal growth, empathy and high ethical standards, while working through a broad curriculum. As described in the background material, the aim is to develop “internationally minded people with a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond intellectual development and academic success.” This leads to greater success at the post-secondary level and eventually in the students’ professional lives.

“IB is meant to teach students how to think from a very young age,” says Kidd. “Rather than a curriculum — although we are still using the Ontario K to 12 curriculum and offer an optional Ontario Secondary School Diploma — it is an approach to learning, a pedagogical philosophy that incorporates the best of 21st-century education.”

He describes IB as “student-centred, inquiry-based, inter-disciplinary and international,” noting “it brings the world and global-mindedness and global competency into the curriculum.”

Kidd points out that every aspect of the IB approach, which is “founded on taking action and service to others,” is in line with the philosophy and internationalism of Ridley College.

“We have Canadians from all over the country and a long history of bringing students from around the world to the school. Currently, 44 different countries are represented. The IB philosophy also fits in with our commitment to service.” The Ridley College motto is Terar dum prosim (May I be consumed in service.)

Most of all, he says, “it’s good teaching. The IB framework makes learning a rich and rigorous experience. We’ve adopted a world-class approach to teaching and learning that allows us to prepare students from around the world for living in an increasingly global society.”

All this augurs well for the future success of IB students. Their training places them at the forefront in their post-secondary studies, as well as putting them ahead in the selection process at top universities around the world.

Established in 1889 as a boys’ school, and co-educational since 1973, Ridley is one of the oldest and most prestigious independent schools in Canada. From the beginning, Ridley, which is located on an attractive 90-acre campus in the Niagara region, has combined high academic standards, a wide range of extra-curricular activities, a service commitment and internationalism.

This story was produced by Postmedia Content Works on behalf of Ridley College for commercial purposes. Postmedia’s editorial departments had no involvement in the creation of this content.

Launched in 2015, the Weekend Programme provides students with fun activities – on and off campus – every weekend. This April, the Weekend Programme was chalked full of highly anticipated events, Ridley traditions and exciting outings!

Students witness a battle of epic proportions on the big screen

Saturday, April 2nd

There’s nothing better than seeing an action-packed movie on the big screen, so that’s what nearly 30 students spent their Saturday evening doing. Our Ridleians loaded up the bus and ventured to Landmark Cinemas to see Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice; an epic motion picture, that pits two beloved superheroes against one another. As always, our students enjoyed an evening out with their peers.

House trip to the Great Wolf Lodge

Saturday, April 9th

Members of the boy’s houses travelled to Niagara Falls for an evening of fun at the Great Wolf Lodge, a waterpark resort, located not far from campus. There, they hit every water slide, lazy river and water challenge in site! It was a wonderful outing and a great opportunity for the boys to bond before Summer begins.

“Best night of the year.”

– Mrs. Jessica Roud, Housemaster of Dean’s House

Students took part in some friendly competition on the court

Saturday, April 9th

On Saturday, students hit the badminton court for a tournament. It was a great opportunity to practice their skills, bond with their classmates and get active. At the end of the tournament, students enjoyed a pizza party, provided by Ms. Margaret Lech, Assistant Head of Upper School and talented badminton player.

“Going to badminton on Saturday was a really good time! I think everyone that attended brought the best energy they could (including Ms. Lech!) My favourite part of the night had to be when I played Victoria and our competitive sides came out; the game really took a turn. Calling a rematch with Victoria and Ms. Lech!”

– Rachel Overbeeke ’17

“Badminton on Saturday was a blast. At the beginning it was quiet, but once everyone started to come out it was loads of fun. Everyone’s competitive and fun side came out, which made it even more exciting to play. My favourite part of the night was having a match against Ms. Lech (when I said I needed competition), even though she beat me. It was okay because I was taking it easy on her. P.S. I call for a rematch against you Ms. Lech. The challenge has been accepted.”

– Victoria Dabanovich-Mahoney ’18

Students sang their hearts out at MNO Music Night

Saturday, April 16th

Students gathered in the Ross E. Morrow Theatre for the annual MNO Music Night, hosted by Merritt North. Our talented Ridleians hit the stage, where they sang, danced, showcased their talents and even participated in a little bit of karaoke. This annual student-led event proves to be a hit, year after year.

Ridleians ventured ‘In the Woods’ for the annual Cadet Ball

Saturday, April 23rd

Our Grade 11 and 12 students experienced a night they’d never forget on Saturday, April 23rd. The annual Cadet Ball is a long-standing Ridley tradition, where our students don their crisp cadet uniforms and their prettiest gowns for a night of dinner, dancing and good company. This year, Club Italia’s ballroom was transformed into an enchanting forest, inspired by the children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are. The Family Guild and Grad Committee planned a fantastic event for our senior students and faculty members. To view photos from this year’s whimsical Cadet Ball, click here.

With adventurous day trips, tournaments and one of the most memorable events of the year, April was a month to remember for many of our students. As the school year winds down, the Weekend Programme still has some fantastic events planned. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for our students.

Each year, a group of Ridleians venture north for a weekend of adventure on the annual dogsledding trip. This trip is offered to participants of the Duke of Ediburgh’s Award, and helps the students not only receive their medals but also experience an opportunity of a lifetime with their friends, connect with nature and witness the beauty of Canada.

On February 11th, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award group, comprised of 17 students and their chaperones, Mr. Clyde Dawson and Ms. Caleigh Flagg, left for South River, just south of North Bay – four and a half hours by school bus. Upon arriving at Chocpaw (the dogsledding company), we received an hour instruction and then off we went to the kennel, where 380 dogs greeted us with an accolade of barking. We packed and hooked up 12 sleds, each with five or six teams of dogs, and proceeded on the first 20 km part of our trip. We arrived at camp and immediately unpacked, setup camp and prepared dinner.

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The next morning was a comfortable minus 30 degrees and we once again packed, hooked and left for the second camp – CHAR, 15 km deep in Algonguin Park. It was a beautiful day with snowfalls and scenery that could only be experienced, never adequately described. Once again we unhooked, fed, watered and bed the 78 dogs before unpacking and preparing dinner.

Saturday morning was a shock to the system with temperatures hovering around minus 40 to 45 degrees. The guide and I (Mr. Dawson) decided to allow the students to sleep-in, with the hope that the rising sun would make the day a little more bearable. After breakfast, the temperature did rise to minus 35 degrees and the students proceeded to gather wood in the forest, retrieve water from the lake, care for the dogs and build a campfire. The temperature had no affect on the students’ spirits; we enjoyed pushing each other in the snow while carrying wood cut by Andrew (our guide) a quarter of a mile, to the sleds. Others scooped water into 12 liter canteens from a hole cut in the lake by another guide, Adelia. The students then carried the water in pairs 100 meters up a hill to the camp. It was too cold with the wind-chill factor to go sledding, so the students took the dogs for a walk, gave them some very appreciated affection, cleaned the beds, refreshed the straw and continued with snow festivities throughout the day.

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Sunday was a busy day with packing, hooking and traveling 35 km back to the kennel, where they would conclude their trip.

Throughout the adventure, the students were positive, enthusiastic and helpful, and the laughter and smiles never faded; of course that might have been because their faces were frozen. Whatever the case, it was a great trip!

Launched in 2015, the Weekend Programme provides students with fun activities – on and off campus – every weekend. This January, the Weekend Programme was stocked full with fun activities that were great for Ridleians of all ages!

Grade 9’s have a ball at Residential Life Bowling!

Thursday, January 7thBy: Jack Petrunick ‘19

What better way to start off 2016 than with Residential Life Bowling! I find that our days can be quite busy; filled with classes, sports and homework and sometimes it seems that we don’t get much of a chance to catch up with one another. This made a night of bowling with classmates a perfect opportunity to reconnect. Did you know that in the Golden Era of the 1960’s and 1970’s, bowlers made twice as much money as NFL stars? Pro bowlers signed million dollar contracts and were heralded as international celebrities. Today, the glitz and glamour has faded, however, this changed as the Ridley College Class of 2019 arrived at Parkway Lanes! The students were all bright-eyed with thoughts of a strike, a spare or even just praying they wouldn’t get a gutter ball! Speaking of strikes…did you know that in the sport of bowling, if you see a picture of a turkey on your scoring screen, it refers to three strikes in a row? A ham bone is one better, with four strikes in a row! Best of all is a golden turkey, which represents nine strikes in a row!

Well, I definitely don’t recall seeing a golden turkey on anyone’s scoring screen, but I do remember Ms. Lech knocking down nine pins at one time, which resulted in her doing a happy dance!

Ms. Lech and staff, thank you for organizing an exciting event for us. It was an evening enjoyed by all! Thank you!

– Jack Petrunick ‘19

” I have never been bowling before. I played games like this on my console, but because my parents are really busy and there are not many places like this near me, I [had] never gone before. It was a lot of fun!” – Grade 9 student

Ridleians show their Tiger pride during the Carl Dorland Basketball Tournament

Saturday, January 9th
By: Liam Wilson ’16

January 9th, 2016 – a night that I won’t forget for a very long time. Ridley wins the Carl Dorland Tournament against powerhouse rivals from Illinois, Lake Forest Academy. Although the game was very exciting, it wasn’t the shots made or the impressive moves that made this night so memorable for me, it was having the Ridley community supporting us. Students, faculty, parents, and even partner basketball programs – like Noble Preparatory Academy from Nassau, Bahamas – were all packed into the Griffith Gym to make as much noise and give as much support as possible. When Brett Warren ‘16 scored on an amazing drive or Shamar Burrows ‘16 made a great stop on defense, the crowd just got louder and louder.

There is no better feeling than being able to look to the other side of the court and see your classmates cheering as loud as they can for you. Seeing my teachers in the crowd fostered school spirit and enthusiasm like you would not believe. As the game got tight and the clock started to run out, it was our fellow Ridleians that gave us the energy to close the game off and bring home the gold on our home court. Thank you, Ridley.

– Liam Wilson ’16

Students enjoy feature films with their friends!

Saturday, January 16th

On Saturday, January 16th, Ridleians piled on the Movie Bus and headed to Landmark Cinemas at the Pen Centre. Students had the chance to see the latest blockbusters on the big screen, with all of their friends! Following the Movie Bus, students were invited to the Great Hall for Café, where there was music, hot chocolate and cookies!

“Café is amazing!”- Noel Cousins ’16

Sports, spies and snacks – students hang out on campus for a fun-filled Saturday!

Saturday January 23rd

Students had a fun-filled evening on campus this past Saturday! Students were able to participate in tons of sporting activities such as swimming, badminton, basketball and soccer! Students who wanted a more relaxing Saturday night were invited to watch the movie The Kingsman in the Ross E. Morrow Theatre. Café followed, featuring DJ Lech, where the students joined in the Great Hall to hear wonderful music from the 1980’s to today.

January’s Weekend Programme line-up started the term off right! Ridley pride arose during Spirit Night and students stayed active inside as the snow piled up outdoors. There were no shortage of smiles and laughs here on campus.

Next month, the Weekend Programme kicks off with Dean’s Dance, the annual semi-formal dance, followed by fun activities throughout the month! Check back in February to read more!